3 easy tapas recipes for a sultry night of Spanish fun

Naomi de la Torre is freelance writer and stay-at-home-mom with two delightful boys, ages three and six. Naomi has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona, is a self-proclaimed salsa diva, and can make a killer octopus ...

Tapas

Looking to tantalize your amore with a sultry night of Spanish flavor? These exceptional and easy tapas recipes will titillate your taste buds like never before. Go ahead. Don’t be shy. Get in the mood with some sensual flamenco jams and spice up your kitchen with these delicious Andalusian favorites.

Spicy Sausage and Cheese Tortilla

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

5 tablespoons olive oil

6 ounces chorizo, thinly sliced

2 large waxy potatoes, thinly sliced

2 Spanish onions, halved and thinly sliced

5 large eggs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium non-stick frying pan, fry the chorizo in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When it is golden brown, place it on a paper towel to dry.

Put 2 more tablespoons of oil in the frying pan and fry the potatoes and onions until transluscent and tender.

While the potatoes and onions are cooking, beat together the eggs, cheese, chorizo, parsley, salt and pepper.

When the potatoes and onions are finished cooking, gently add them to the egg mixture.

Clean the frying pan and add remaining olive oil.

Cook the egg mixture at a very low heat, allowing eggs to set and being careful not to burn the bottom.

Take a large plate and flip the tortilla. Place it back in the pan so it browns evenly on both sides.

When it is finished, remove from pan and let cool. Cut into wedges and serve warm or cold.

Emapanadas

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 hard-boiled large eggs

1 small chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

3/4 pound ground beef chuck

3 tablespoons raisins

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped green olives

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 large can chopped tomatoes

1 pound yeast pastry dough

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions

In a medium frying pan, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent.

Add spices and beef. Cook approximately 5 minutes until the beef is browned.

While the beef is cooking, cut each hard-boiled egg crosswise into thin slices.

Add raisins, olives, salt, pepper and tomatoes to the beef and cook until the mixture is wet but not soggy.

Fill a skillet 1 inch deep with oil and heat to 350 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, roll out the dough into 5 inch circles.

Place 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture in the middle of each dough circle and top with 2 slices of hard-boiled egg.

Fold the dough over end to end. The dough should now look like a half circle. Crimp the edges with a fork to close tightly.

Two at a time, fry the empanadas in the 350 degree oil until crisp and golden.

When they are finished, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and cool on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

Serve immediately.

Smoked Ham with Garlic and Tomato

Ingredients

1 French baguette

1 clove of garlic

1 ripe tomato

1 pound of sliced smoked ham

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice the baguette into small circular rounds.

Place the rounds on a sheet pan and toast them in the oven at 350 until crispy.

Remove the toast from the oven and one at a time, rub the slices with the clove of garlic.

Cut the tomato in half and rub over each slice of bread.

Mix the olive oil with the salt and pepper. Use a pastry brush to paint the toast with the seasoned oil.